


That's Amore

by Lalalli



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Crack, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Humor, Love Potion/Spell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-06-13
Packaged: 2018-11-13 13:26:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11186052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lalalli/pseuds/Lalalli
Summary: Jemma’s issue with Amortentia isn’t that it’s advertised as a soft drink/love potion hybrid or that its manufacturers claim that it’s made using actual magic or that it’s crazy expensive or that its commercials are aired constantly in between ads for auto insurance and boner pills on the cable news channel that Mack always has on in the common room.Well, it’s not just those things.-----The team accidentally takes a love potion that makes them fall in love with Jemma.For some reason, it doesn't affect Fitz.





	That's Amore

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place between seasons 2 and 3 in an alternate universe where Jemma didn’t get abducted by the space rock. Also, Joey’s there because I want him there. Just...shhhh. Go with it.
> 
> (I honestly don't know whether or not this is garbage. Motherhood and sleep deprivation is messing with my brain, people.)

Jemma’s issue with Amortentia isn’t that it’s advertised as a soft drink/love potion hybrid or that its manufacturers claim that it’s made using _actual magic_ or that it’s crazy expensive or that its commercials are aired constantly in between ads for auto insurance and boner pills on the cable news channel that Mack always has on in the common room.

Well, it’s not _just_ those things.

Her main issue with it is that it’s super creepy and irresponsible and goes into all sorts of issues of consent that she doesn’t have time to explain, and even if she did, it still wouldn’t change the minds of all the fuckboys who think that it’s a great way to get themselves out of the friendzone (as if that’s a thing that actually exists).

“I get that, I do,” Fitz says, unable to keep the exasperation out of his voice. “What I don’t understand is why you ordered _twenty_ cases of it,” sweeping his hand out towards the stacks of boxes forming a barricade in the middle of the room.

Jemma rips into one of the boxes. “For science.”

Fitz is silent, which Jemma knows does not mean that he’s satisfied with her answer. On the contrary, he’s trying to think of a way to phrase his next question without accidentally insulting her.

“I want to come up with an antidote,” she explains, before he can ask it.

“But doesn’t it wear off on its own?” Fitz asks.

Jemma rolls her eyes. “In 36 hours. That’s too long, Fitz. Who knows what kind of trouble someone could get into while under the influence?”

So in between saving the world, Jemma run tests for different factors that affects the drug’s (because it is essentially a drug, even if it’s not promoted as one) potency and longevity. And for the most part, everyone stays out of her way and knows not to touch any of the supplies or equipment she leaves scattered in her personal corner of the lab. After a while, she stops warning them not to touch or move anything because it becomes unnecessary - they already know.

And in hindsight, it might have been a mistake to assume that everyone would know what is or isn’t a part of her tests. Especially when she starts testing the effectiveness of the antidote when someone is under the influence of both Amortentia and alcohol. Especially when she decided to store her Amortentia and whiskey cocktail in the original whiskey bottle.

After a frantic search through the lab and the supply closet and the fridge, Jemma walks into the hallway and grabs Piper’s wrist as she walks by. “Did you see the whiskey bottle that was sitting _right there_?” Jemma asks, pointing at her lab bench through the large glass window.

Piper shrugs. “I don’t know - I’m never really in the lab. But the others are having a drink in the common area if you want to join them.”

Jemma’s eyes widen, remembering that Daisy had stopped by the lab right after her mission, dirty and disheveled and complaining that she needed a night off. “Shit,” she whispers, dropping Piper’s arm and running down the hall without another word.

“You’re welcome,” Piper calls after her.

\----

Contrary to the way it’s advertised, Amortentia is not actually magic. From what Jemma can tell from her extensive trials, Amortentia works by mimicking the same biochemical processes in the body associated with arousal and affection and intimacy. It kicks in pretty much instantly, with its effects being the most powerful in the moments immediately following ingestion, so that your body and brain essentially thinks you’re in love with the first person you see.

Jemma has no idea how it got approved for commercial sale.

Jemma’s so preoccupied with preventing everyone from drinking her cocktail that she doesn’t think about what would happen if they’ve already drank it. It doesn’t even register as a possibility. They’ve had so many close calls, it just makes sense that this would be another one.

Which is why she’s not really thinking about the consequences of yelling “STOP!” as she bursts into the room where everyone’s lounging and sharing a drink.

Everyone stops mid-sip and immediately turn to look at her, surprised and confused. “What’s wrong?” Coulson asks.

Jemma scans the room. Coulson’s sitting in the armchair, with May perched on the arm of the seat. Bobbi, Hunter, and Daisy are on the couch, with Joey sitting on the other armchair. And Fitz -

Fitz places his hand on her shoulder, already next to her. “Are you okay, Jemma?” he asks.

Jemma eyes the glass in his hand and immediately pries it out of his grasp. “How much of this have you had to drink?” she asks, leaning in to sniff it. It’s definitely her cocktail - she can smell the subtle floral fruitiness of the Amortentia under the smell of the whiskey.

“We all just had our first sip when you came running in,” Fitz says.

Jemma spots the whiskey bottle on the coffee table and breaks away from Fitz to grab it. “Who took this from the lab?” she demands, holding it up for everyone to see.

Everyone turns to look at Hunter.  He rolls his eyes.  “I didn’t think you’d mind," he says in a voice that indicates that he clearly thinks she _shouldn't_ mind.  "I’ll get you more.”

Jemma squeezes her eyes shut. “That’s not the issue.” She opens her eyes. “It’s mixed with Amortentia.”

Everyone’s quiet for a moment. Jemma turns to look at Fitz. “How do you feel?” she asks.

Fitz looks up at the ceiling, thinking for a moment. He shrugs as he looks back down at her. “Fine, I guess. I don’t feel any different. Maybe we didn’t drink enough for it to actually kick in.”

“Unlikely - it was a highly potent batch.”

Bobbi walks up to Jemma and slings an arm around her shoulder. “Then the bottle you used was probably a dud.”

Jemma chews at her bottom lip as she looks down at the bottle in her hand. “All the same, I should probably prepare some antidotes just in case.”

“I’ll come with you,” Bobbi volunteers quickly, steering Jemma out the door. “You look like you could use some help.”

Fitz looks at Bobbi suspiciously. “I’ll come too,” he says slowly, as though unsure of himself, following them out into the hallway.

“But is this really a three person job?” Bobbi asks, irritation coloring her voice. “I think Jemma and I have got it covered.”

“Actually, if it’s all the same to you, maybe Fitz should be the one to help me,” Jemma suggests. “We’re usually able to work more quickly together.”

Jemma might be imagining how Bobbi’s arm tightens slightly around her shoulders as they walk into the lab. “Well, I’ll keep you company, then. Just in case you need a second biochemist.”

Fitz walks around to the other side of the lab bench so that he’s facing Jemma and Bobbi. “Are you sure you’re okay, Bobbi?” he asks worriedly, studying her face.

“Are YOU okay, Fitz?” Bobbi retorts.

“I’m fine,” Fitz says evenly. “But you still haven’t let go of Jemma and we need to get to work.” He looks at Jemma. “Her eyes are dilated. Do you think we should run some tests?”

Bobbi’s lips stretch into a forced smile. “Maybe you should put your test up your -”

“How’s it coming?” Coulson asks, walking into the lab.

Bobbi lets go of Jemma so she can cross her arms over her chest as she turns to face Coulson. “We can’t make any progress if you’re hovering,” she complains a bit petulantly, pouting like a teenager whose father just interrupted her study date.

Coulson blinks. “I literally just walked in.”

“Maybe now would be a good time to give everyone a physical,” Jemma interrupts brightly.

Coulson grins a bit. “I think you’ll find I’m in peak physical shape. You know, I used to spar with Tony Stark. Not to brag, but I definitely held my own.”

Bobbi rolls her eyes. “Wow, impressive.”

By the way Coulson narrows his eyes at Bobbi, it’s clear her sarcasm wasn’t lost on him, but before he can respond, Fitz steers Coulson towards a chair on the other side of the lab. “Let’s take your blood pressure, sir.”

Coulson looks over his shoulder as they walk away. “Hey Jemma - I can call you Jemma, right? Did I ever tell you about the time I met Thor?”

“Only about twenty million times,” Bobbi mutters under her breath.

“Yes you have, sir,” Jemma says, steering Bobbi towards the MRI machine.

“Oh, please, Jemma - call me Phil.”

\-----

“You know what the weirdest thing about this is?” Fitz asks as he swipes at his tablet, looking at Bobbi’s brain scans.

“That they’re really not acting that weird, in the grand scheme of things?” Jemma guesses.

“Yes!” Fitz exclaims, his relief clear in the way his jaw unclenches and his eyebrows uncrinkle. “Granted, they’re being a bit off, but they’re not at like, carving compulsively levels of weird.”

“I think our baseline acceptance of weird has gotten a bit too high,” Jemma observes, walking around the lab bench so she can stand next to Fitz and peer at the tablet over his shoulder. Jemma’s glad she has scientific evidence to fall back on because she would not be able to come to any concrete conclusions based on behavioral observation. She’s always been a bit oblivious when it comes to social cues. Case in point: she’s obviously really bad at observing when someone’s in love with her, the proof of which is standing right next to her, trying to help her figure out the extent to which everyone else is in love with her.

Someone clears their throat from the doorway. Jemma looks up and smiles at Joey, who’s shifting uncomfortably on his feet, his hands behind his back.

“Let me be the first to validate that this is really fucking weird,” he volunteers, apparently having overheard their conversation. “And I’m saying this as someone who recently discovered he has superpowers, so yeah. I know weird.”

Jemma scrunched her nose. “Care to elaborate while I attach a bunch of wires to your head?”

Joey lets out a heavy sigh. “Sure. Not like I have anything else going on.”

Once Joey’s seated and Jemma starts attaching electrical nodes to his head, Joey says, “Seriously. I desperately want to make out with you, which I’ve never wanted to do with a woman before. So, yeah. Your love potion’s definitely working.”

Jemma can’t help but steal a glance at Fitz. “I honestly wasn’t sure.”

Joey follows her gaze. “Well, Bobbi and Coulson are definitely being weird, yes?” he asks.

Jemma looks back at him. “Their brain scans show abnormally heightened activity in the amygdala, so yes. But Fitz is being so normal.”

Joey’s words are slow and cautious when he asks, “What are the effects of Amortentia when someone is already in love with you?”

Jemma’s breath catches for a moment, her heart clenching in her chest. She swallows the lump in her throat. “He’s not,” she says tightly, looking down at the ground.

“How do you know?” Joey persists.

“He would have said something.” After all, hadn’t she essentially gone to him and confessed that she wanted to try for something more, only for him to walk away and never revisit the subject?

Jemma knows Fitz used to love her, but that was before the bottom of the ocean, before his brain injury, before she abandoned him to go to Hydra, before the tense months of him giving her the silent treatment. And just when they were starting to slowly, tentatively rebuild their friendship, Jemma had ambushed him with “Maybe there is.”

And he hasn’t said anything since then. So she was too late. It’s fine. It happens. She knew it would be a possibility. She values his friendship, so she’s not going to push. And really, when she looks back at how he used to act around her, back when he was in love with her and she didn’t know about it, how he’s acting today is nothing like that. So if drinking Amortentia didn’t make him fall back in love with her, probably nothing ever will.

Jemma clears her throat. “Though you do raise an excellent point, Joey. Maybe he’s immune to it. I should draw some blood to see if there are some variables that contribute to blocking its effects. Maybe I can create some preventative measures.”

Joey rolls his eyes. “Yeah, that’s definitely what I was suggesting.”

  
\------

“You know, I liked your hair better when it was straight,” Hunter says from the corner, electrical nodes connected to his head.

“Good to know,” Jemma mutters. While Bobbi has been possessive and clingy and Coulson has been trying his best to impress her, Hunter has just been compulsively insulting her. It definitely explains a lot about his relationship with Bobbi.

“Your hair is great,” Bobbi assures her from her seat next to Hunter, tapping her fingers restlessly on her thigh. She reaches up to scratch next to one of the nodes attached to her temple. “How much longer do we need to be hooked up to these?”   
  
“Hopefully not much longer,” Fitz assures her, placing a syringe on a tray. “One down.” He looks down at his fingers. “Daisy, Coulson, May, Joey, Bobbi, Hunter...five more to go.”

“Six,” Jemma corrects him. “Don’t forget about yourself.”

Fitz scratches the back of his neck. “Yeah, but I’m not showing any symptoms.”

It’s not like Jemma didn’t realize this. If she didn’t need Fitz’s help so much, she would be running tests on him too. She’s more worried about him being asymptomatic than she is about Joey, Coulson, Bobbi, and Hunter all having awkward crushes on her.

“All the same, I think it’s better for us to be safe than sorry.” She bites her bottom lip. “Maybe when you’re done preparing the rest of the syringes, I can run some tests on you? I’m worried that you’re not showing any symptoms when everyone else is.”

“You think you’re SO smart,” Hunter says accusingly, out of nowhere.

“Yeah, it’s almost like she has two Ph.D.s,” Bobbi retorts.

Fitz ignores them. “May isn’t either,” he points out. “It’s probably fine.”

As if summoned by the utterance of her name, May strides purposefully into the lab, takes the syringe before Fitz and Jemma can protest, and stabs herself in the arm.

May drops the syringe back on the tray. “I feel much better now,” she informs them, expressionless, before turning and walking out of the lab.

\------------

“This is really unnecessary,” Fitz complains, as Jemma draws blood from him. The others have already been given the antidote and sent out of the lab. Jemma wants to be able to focus all her attention on Fitz in case it turns out something is seriously wrong with him.

“Think about it, Fitz,” Jemma argues. “Maybe your symptoms are latent. Or maybe the Amortentia is interacting with your medication in a way that is harmful. Or maybe you’re immune and we’ll be able to come up with a vaccine. We really won’t know until we analyze what’s going on.”

Fitz opens his mouth to protest when the door to the lab swings open, interrupting whatever he had been about to say. They both turn to look at Mack, whose arm is around Daisy’s shoulders, practically dragging her in with him. “Found her in the locker room, crying - something about Jemma?” He looks Jemma up and down. “I thought maybe something happened to you, but you look fine to me.”

Daisy shakes her head. “I keep telling you, it’s not her - it’s me!” she proclaims, her voice hoarse and ragged.

Jemma strides over to Daisy, putting her hands on her shoulders and looking in her eyes. “What’s going on Daisy? Are you in pain?”

Daisy scoffs and wipes her tears off her face with the back of her hand. “My life is nothing but pain.” She shakes her head at Jemma. “Don’t you see, Jemma? We can never be together.”

Jemma blinks. “Um.”

“I’m trying to protect you, okay?” Daisy insists. “Everyone I care about or who cares about me ends up evil or dead. Or both.”

Mack furrows his brow. “What -”

“We all accidentally drank a love potion,” Fitz explains.

Mack sighs deeply and rubs his hand over his head. “Yeah, I’m going to hide in my bunk until this is over.” He turns and leaves, muttering, “I leave for three hours. _Three hours_.”

“It’s okay, Daisy,” Jemma soothes, rubbing her hands up and down Daisy’s arms. “I understand. We’re not going to be together.” She turns to stand next to Daisy and gently presses her hand on Daisy’s back to guide her to the other side of the lab.

“It’s not that I don’t love you, okay?” Daisy says, apparently desperate to explain. “Because I do. So much. But we…” Daisy sighs and turns away from Jemma. “We just can’t.”

Fitz exhales heavily and, without warning, stabs Daisy in the arm with the syringe holding the antidote.

“Fitz!” Jemma protests. “What about-”

“The tests?” Fitz finishes for her. “I’d rather just put her out of her misery.” He squeezes Daisy’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go rest in your bunk for a bit?”

Daisy blinks at them, apparently a bit dazed from the emotional whiplash. “Uh, sure. We’re going to debrief later, right?”

“Yes, Daisy, of course,” Jemma assures her.

Daisy looks between the two of them. “And you get that by ‘debrief’, I mean gossip, right?”

Fitz rolls his eyes. “Yes, gossip, got it,” he says, ushering Daisy out the door before closing it behind her.

Jemma reaches for the last syringe. “That just leaves you, then.”

Fitz shakes his head. “I don’t want it.”

“You need it,” she argues.

“I really don’t.”

“I know you think that just because you’re not showing any symptoms that it doesn’t affect you, and I don’t know, maybe it doesn’t - maybe once you fall out of love with someone you become immune -”

“I never fell out of love with you!” Fitz denies, interrupting her. “Is that what you think?”

Jemma just stares at him, her eyes wide and unblinking. When she doesn’t respond, Fitz huffs impatiently. “I’m asymptomatic because nothing has changed, Jemma. I loved you then and I love you now.” He swallows heavily. “And I don’t know how that antidote is going to affect me when there’s nothing to cancel out. I don’t want to stop loving you. Even if you don’t feel the same way, I don’t know what I’d do if-”

Jemma’s jaw drops. “You don’t get to say I don’t feel the same way! I’m the one who came to you and said I wanted to try -”

“You said it moments before I was going into battle and haven’t said anything since then!” Fitz says defensively, stepping towards her. “And your exact words were ‘Maybe there is.’ That’s hardly a definitive declaration of your feelings!”

“Oh, like ‘more than that’ is so specific?” Jemma retorts.

“How is that vague?” Fitz argues. “How else would anyone interpret ‘more than a best friend’?”

“Like a sister?”

Fitz snorts. “Yeah, I’m sure you ran away because you were freaked out that I might love you like a sister.”

Jemma groans and throws her hands in the air. “For the hundredth time, Fitz, I didn’t run -” She huffs and plants her hands on her hips. “And stop trying to distract from the issue at hand here, Fitz. All the antidote does is cancel out the effects of the Amortentia - it doesn’t affect anything else. And you know what else? If you’re allowed to do it, then so am I.”

Fitz furrows his brow. “Allowed to do what?”

Without warning, Jemma stabs his arm with the antidote. “Put you out of your misery.”

“Ow!” Fitz complains, rolling his sleeve up to inspect the damage. “That was uncalled for!”

“You’ll thank me later,” Jemma informs him.

“You know I hate needles.”

“Then it’s a good thing you didn’t know it was coming,” Jemma points out super reasonably.

Fitz pouts, rubbing at his arm. “It was not a good thing - it was unnecessary. I already told you that your stupid love potion didn’t do anything.”

“First of all, it’s not my stupid love potion,” Jemma reminds him, putting a Band-Aid on his arm. “I’m the one making the antidote, not taking away people’s consent.” She pauses, studying his face. “You really don’t feel any different?”

Fitz huffs impatiently. “I feel exactly the same as I’ve felt all day. I don’t know why you keep insisting otherwise.”

“It’s just...the ratio of Amortentia to alcohol intensified the effects. So yeah, I’m having a hard time believing there was no change whatsoever, because it was supposed to be strong. Really, really strong.”

Fitz rolls his eyes. “It’s almost like I already had really, really strong feelings for you.”

And maybe it’s the way he says it, so grumpily, like it’s this huge inconvenience, but that’s what it takes to convince Jemma. “Oh. Okay.” And then she’s surging forward to press her lips to his.

Fitz lets out a strangled noise of surprise, but otherwise stays motionless. Jemma winces, pulling back.

“Sorry!” Jemma blurts, stepping back from him. “Did the antidote kick in? Is that what happened?”

Fitz raises his eyebrows. “What? No!” He stands, placing his hands on Jemma’s waist. “No, of course not.” He breathes out a laugh, happy and disbelieving all at once, and shakes his head. “You just caught me off guard, is all.” He slides one hand in her hair and leans down to kiss her.

It’s not technically the best kiss Jemma’s ever had - their grins are too wide for their lips to have any finesse and their teeth keep clacking together - but still, she’s never been so _happy_.

Jemma pulls back and beams at him. “So, I’m afraid you’re stuck with me now. No take-backs.”

Fitz slings his arm around her shoulders and tucks her into his side so he can press a kiss to her hairline. “Oddly enough, I think I can live with that.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm Lalallicat on Tumblr! Feel free to send me a prompt that I'll take four months to fill. Or just say hi. That's cool too.


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